The Ultimate Law Firm Associate’sMarketing Checklist

The Renowned Step-By-Step, Year-By-Year ProcessFor Lawyers Who Want To Develop Clients.

RoSS FiShMAn, JD

A must-read for all

associates

This book shouldbe in the hands

of every associate!

I strongly recommend this

Marketing nirvana

Essential reading for every associate

Essentialreading

thoughtful, practical advice

This bookholds all

the secrets

A practicalapproach

An incrediblyuseful

resource

An important, common-sense

approach A highly practical

framework

immenselyhelpful

valuable

sohelpful wow

fantastic

“An important, common-sense approach to business development for associates at every level. Use this checklist to promote a thoughtful

marketing discussion and real action.”

“This is an incredibly useful resource to get associates on track towards productive, career-long, business development habits.”

“I have used Ross’s highly practical framework in several firms and strongly recommend it. It helps lawyers demystify marketing and business development and take concrete, manageable actions to

achieve success on their own terms and according to their own style. I have seen it literally give hope to associates who thought

that developing a sustaining legal practice was beyond their ability.” Nathan Darling, Chief Marketing Officer, Beveridge and Diamond

“Ross’s Checklist is my go-to for both casual ‘stop-by’ conversations with associates and formal associate-training programs. With clear guidelines for marketing and business development by experience

level, this tool is immensely helpful. I’ve had many partners comment on how smart this checklist is, and that they wish they had something

like this when they were coming up the ranks.”

“Ross’s insightful checklist is a practical guide to marketing yourself at every stage of your career. His book details realistic and attainable

marketing and business development activities. I am a fifth-year associate and have been implementing the recommendations for a few years and can already see how they are positioning me to

generate business in the future. I strongly recommend this valuable checklist to associates at all levels — from first-year lawyers fresh out

of school to senior associates who are eligible for partner. Thank you, Ross!”

Testimonials

“This book needs to be in the hands of every young associate who wants to have a successful, rewarding legal career. Just follow the suggested steps and check all the boxes of this practical ‘how to’ guide to become the top-tier rainmaker in your firm, large or small.The practical links to cogent examples add to the effectiveness and bring it alive for the reader. This checklist should be a ‘best seller.’”

“Ross has turned an intimidating and challenging process into simple, practical, and systematic steps. I have used his checklist for many

years with great success. Associates whom I have worked with regularly comment that marketing is much less daunting in small steps.

He has removed the ‘deer in the headlights’ moment and crafted something they can embrace and see success.”

“Practical and engaging, Ross Fishman’s step-by-step advice even includes the best of social media tools to network and get noticed.

It’s not only a valuable tool for associates, but is useful for their mentors as well! Ross continues to provide thoughtful and practical

advice that helps associates succeed in their marketing efforts. This book should be in the hands of every associate! It takes the mystery out of developing a book of business for future success.”

“Essential reading for every associate at any point in their career! Every lawyer can use this comprehensive checklist to jumpstart, or build on, their efforts to grow their reputation and successfully

achieve their professional goals. In an industry defined by how your clients and peers speak of you, this checklist holds all the secrets

to creating a powerful referral network. It is marketing nirvana.”

“A must-read for all associates.”

Testimonials

THE ULTIMATE LAW FIRM ASSOCIATE’S

MARKETING CHECKLISTThe Renowned Step-By-Step, Year-By-Year Process

For Lawyers Who Want To Develop Clients.

First Edition

byRoss Fishman, JD

CEOFishman Marketing, Inc.

© 2016 by Fishman Marketing, Inc. All rights reserved.

Published by Ross Fishman, Highland Park, Illinoiswww.fishmanmarketing.com

www.associatesmarketingchecklist.com

ISBN: 978-0-9979676-2-3

Manufactured in the United States

Cover design by Michelle Benjamin

No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher.

Dedication

law firm associates

in-house legal marketers

Table of Contents

SECTION PAGE

©2016 Fishman Marketing, Inc. All rights reserved. Do not duplicate.

Foreword

-

-

I

marketing training using their successful rainmaking senior part-must

-

how -

something

-

-

really

-

that -

-

-opment activities to undertake to help avoid inefficient flounder-

-

improvements, please feel free to email them to me at ross@fishmanmarketing.com

Good luck!

Introduction

later

-

associate

Note:

-

-

-

-

ABA Journal

--

work

Show up.

First-Year Associates

MINDSET:

❏ Join one local, state, or national bar association and get

o o o o

❏ --

o

❏ -

❏

o Once each weeko Twice each month

practice areao Regularly

❏ always have business cards

o

o -

o -

o https://youtu.be/rAA3291QWnQ.

o

I use Vizibility (https://vizibility.com/), but there are many other options.

My Vizibility.comQR Code

Scanning my QR code with a simple, free smartphone app, provides this comprehensive contact information, with live links.

❏o -

o

❏ Draft a detailed website biography

o

o

o at leasto

o o Who’s Who

http://goo.gl/jWrQlY

❏ Create a mailing list of friends and

o o Childhood, high school, and college friendso Former colleagues o o

❏

o drinks, phone calls

o

❏ Facebooko do

o o o

o o o o

❏ LinkedIn o

o

o

o o -

o o

o o o

o

o

o

o o

o

o

-

❏ Twitter

o o

o

o o -

ter understand clients, prospects, competitors, schol-

o

o -

❏ Sign up for Google Alerts at See video at https://goo.gl/bAeQhjo

o Consider also creating alerts on friends, relatives,

o -

o

❏ Create a comprehensive personal Google+o https://profiles.google.com/me

https://plus.google.com/+RossFishmano o -

❏o o -

http://goo.gl/JOhhF

❏ client service

o

o

o Always

o o

prefer having someone else address the

o

o

Second-Year Associates

MINDSET:

great

❏

❏

❏

o o o o o Co-counsel and opposing counsel

❏

o o

❏

o

Third-Year Associates

Mindset:

Start developing a toolkit of the soft skills

-

❏

❏ actively

o

o

o

❏ -

❏ “elevator speech”

o

https://youtu.be/SH4mjyvXZEI.

❏o long-term

o o o

their careerso

https://goo.gl/Bwq9ii.

❏

o

-

o Mention these issues to the partner in charge of the

❏ -

o -

o Attorney at Work

❏

o congrat

❏o o

❏ -

o o

-

❏

o o

https://goo.gl/4RxHNp

❏o

o -

A Plea to Focus Your Marketing

https://goo.gl/fKR7AA and https://goo.gl/QtmJTT

more, a skill

-

-

-

-

--

-

-

-

-

-

-

https://goo.gl/3GWNQa

-

-

Bridge-and-tunnel construction companies in FloridaCollege-athletics coaches in the SEC

cases

Estate litigation in Vancouver

-

-

Ency-clopedia of Associations

❏ --

o

❏

❏

❏ -

❏

❏

❏

❏ Keep the conversations focused on themo

o

o

❏

❏

o

❏

❏

-

-they knew me

-

--

Marketing ChecklistThe Renowned Step-By-Step, Year-By-Year Process

For Lawyers Who Want To Develop Clients.by Ross Fishman

“Essential reading for every associate at any point in their career!

This checklist holds all the secrets; it is marketing nirvana.” Nat Slavin

“This book needs to be in the hands of every associate

who wants a successful, rewarding career. Just follow the suggested steps to become

the top-tier rainmaker in your firm. This should be a ‘best seller.’”